Carrstone
Carstone
Carstone, also known as Silsoe and gingerbread, is a sedimentary sandstone conglomerate formed during the Cretaceous period. It varies in colour from light to dark rusty ginger. Used as a building stone it can be found in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and extensively in the historic buildings of North-west Norfolk.[1] It can vary in quality depending on factors such as degree of iron oxide present and sufficient pressure to form the matrix. Because of its variations it does not leand itself to carving or finer work[2] Carstonework can be seen in buildings as random carstone, coursed carstone, ashlared carstone, all with, or without, galletting. Other patterns of use is rough carstone sipps and cut carstone sipps, both used in fields between brickwork quions.